Exploring Carnlough: The Eerie Northern Irish Village Behind Netflix's New Thriller
Frothy waves crashed violently against the vehicle as we navigated Northern Ireland's renowned Causeway Coast, the sky dark and stormy, casting a gloomy pall over the rugged landscape. This chilling introduction perfectly set the tone for a two-day stay in Carnlough, a seemingly unassuming harbour village tucked away in County Antrim. Upon closer inspection, however, Carnlough reveals itself as a place of eerie history, vast winding glens, and a cinematic legacy that includes global phenomena like Game of Thrones. Now, it has added another feather to its cap by featuring prominently in Lisa McGee's new Netflix dark comedy thriller, How To Get To Heaven From Belfast (HTGTHFB).
A Village Steeped in Mystery and Film History
The Harbourview Hotel, formerly known as the Londonderry Arms, doubles as the rundown motel that kicks off the murder mystery road trip in HTGTHFB. This highly anticipated series follows the success of McGee's Channel 4 hit, Derry Girls, which depicted teenage life against the backdrop of the Troubles. While both shows center on groups of friends, the parallels largely end there. HTGTHFB is set in contemporary Northern Ireland, focusing on longtime pals Dara, Saoirse, and Robyn, who are mysteriously lured to Donegal for the wake of their estranged school friend Greta, with whom they share a dark secret. Upon arrival, they discover the funeral is a hoax, plunging them into a quirky ghost hunt to uncover disturbing truths.
The chill that crept up my spine was palpable as we entered Carnlough, immediately encountering a wake procession heading to the Harbourview Hotel. This was the first of several strange coincidences. Later, a woman at dinner recounted the tale of her first husband falling down the stairs, and the next morning, an accidental ghoul appeared in a coffee as we exchanged ghost stories at breakfast. The hotel itself boasts a winding history, founded by the Marchioness of Londonderry, once owned by Winston Churchill, and recently transformed into Ireland's first whiskey hotel just as filming began. Owner Adrien insisted no ghosts lurk in the corridors, though a mysterious clicking noise in my room at 5am left me skeptical.
Gothic Atmosphere and Local Legends
The area maintains a gothic feel, with the nearby Ballygally hotel famously haunted by the spirit of Lady Isobel, who leapt to her death after being locked in a turret for failing to produce a male heir. This ethereal quality, bolstered by folklore and local legends, is central to the show's spooky aesthetic. Lisa McGee emphasized this unique aspect of Irish storytelling, noting, "There's something about Irish storytelling where the gap between this world and the next – there's a healthy respect for the stuff we don't know about – the afterlife and magic and all the fairy tree myths – which I think is kind of unique." She added that Northern Ireland remains a superstitious place, where people might deny believing in ghosts but secretly entertain the possibility.
Film locations scout Richard Glenholmes shared that the brooding feel was inspired by iconic shows and films like Twin Peaks, Fargo, and Psycho. The team worked meticulously to make the hotel look rundown for the series, with Glenholmes joking, "We were always joking the Irish tourism board should be forking out some money for the job we've done for them, because it just looks stunning." This sentiment was echoed by actor Sinéad Keenan, who plays Robyn, praising the extraordinary locations and scenery that highlight the region's beauty.
A New Era for Northern Irish Storytelling
HTGTHFB marks a departure from McGee's previous work, focusing on a post-Troubles Northern Ireland. Richard Glenholmes explained, "Lisa is relying on us to show how Belfast feels now. You don't see any police tape, army jeeps, whereas in Derry Girls, you see them all the time. We're trying to move on from it." He emphasized that while comparisons to Derry Girls are inevitable, McGee aims to showcase different women in a distinct narrative, potentially exploring darker themes in future projects.
The series joins a growing legacy for the Irish film and TV industry, with Carnlough and its surroundings dotted with onscreen history. During my visit, I casually stumbled upon the stairs where Maisie Williams filmed a key scene in Game of Thrones, and explored Glenarm Castle, whose grounds served as a village set for HBO's A Knight of the Seven Kingdoms. As I drove back to the airport, a taxi driver shared grizzly tales of coastal car crashes and revealed his ex-aunt played Queen Cersei in Game of Thrones, a fittingly surreal end to the trip. Only in Carnlough could Lena Headey's former nephew drop me off at the departures gate, blending everyday life with cinematic magic.
